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My lovely Aliona - possible ovarian cysts

alpacasqueak

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Been a tough annoying brain week so not posted for a good few days but sadly found my beautiful girl had rather crusty nipples on Thursday (not like it Monday, slightly dry on Tuesday).
I’ve been weighing her daily recently as just a little off and a very small weight loss of 70-80g over the last six months since Jess (and the extras they all got! :doh:), thought my scales were on the blink so bought new ones, but her weight has been very stable for days (970-980g) so thought I was getting paranoid!
Was intending to get her in for a checkover to keep my mind at rest when my seizures etc had calmed down but we’re booked at Cat and Rabbit on Thursday which is the earliest they could do.
She’s not off really, eating well and still her happy self, just a little quieter than normal but she’s a quiet pig anyway! And definitely thinking she’s older than we were initially told she was on here when I took her on last January! (Boney hips and nails like an older piglet) She should be supposedly 2 but I really think she’s twice that!
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She’s always had what I joke are ‘udders’, very large nipples (which also make me think she was bred from 🙁) but those are not right even for her, can get a little dry at times but it is really a crust. (Looks itchy my poor girl)
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Wasn’t impressed at being handled 3 times in a day, she despises it!
Any advice for keeping her comfortable until then? The right one is very crusty, I obviously don’t want to put anything on to mask symptoms but also don’t want her going at them as look they could bleed with a bit of scratching and don’t want them getting infected etc.
Slightly terrified of my beautiful girl possibly having to be spayed etc, she’s a shy, quiet girl and very easily freaked bless her! And I hate when it’s something I’ve not dealt with before with my babies, I’m easily freaked too! XD:doh:
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My beautiful girl ❤️❤️

Thanks for reading my essay as always!:)
 
Aw poor little lady, you’ll feel better Becci once you know what’s wrong, hope it’s not cysts, sending you hugs x
 
Ahh, Alina is beautiful! And lucky to have such a caring mum! I too have had sows with ovarian cysts over the last few months. Bella was spayed last November after having crusty nipples, bald flanks and thinning fur all over, weight loss plus some aggressive behaviour which was most unlike her. She has come on in leaps and bounds since her op (no problems there at all - done at the Cat and Rabbit Clinic) and has regained her lost weight, her fur is growing back wonderfully and she’s back to being like the pig she was. I have her cage mate booked in to be spayed in two weeks as she has similar symptoms, so I’m hoping her surgery goes well too. I hope your beauty doesn’t need surgery but I wanted to tell you it doesn’t have to be doom and gloom if she does - there can be a better life for them at the end of it. Just know you’re not alone in your worry for your fur babies!💕
 
Our Ruth gets crusty nipples, from time to time and then everything settles again for months. We haven't looked at spaying her, at this time, as Ruth has a lot of other issues, so we could potentially tip her over the edge, by putting her through surgery, even though it would be Simon doing the op.
 
Ahh, Alina is beautiful! And lucky to have such a caring mum! I too have had sows with ovarian cysts over the last few months. Bella was spayed last November after having crusty nipples, bald flanks and thinning fur all over, weight loss plus some aggressive behaviour which was most unlike her. She has come on in leaps and bounds since her op (no problems there at all - done at the Cat and Rabbit Clinic) and has regained her lost weight, her fur is growing back wonderfully and she’s back to being like the pig she was. I have her cage mate booked in to be spayed in two weeks as she has similar symptoms, so I’m hoping her surgery goes well too. I hope your beauty doesn’t need surgery but I wanted to tell you it doesn’t have to be doom and gloom if she does - there can be a better life for them at the end of it. Just know you’re not alone in your worry for your fur babies!💕
Thanks so much for your reply, not worrying as much about her possible spay already! She is such a gorgeous girl! Think I’m worrying a bit more as thought my little old Jess had the same last year with her thinned hair on her tummy, then it turned out to be her kidneys and she was on palliative care, niggling in the back of my mind I think! :doh:
So glad Bella has done so well after her spay, really hope the same for her cagemate too! ❤️
She’s not had any other symptoms, just the crusty nipples so not sure if I’ve noticed early or it’s just taken a while for any symptoms to show, or just crusty nipples!
Thanks so much x
 
Our Ruth gets crusty nipples, from time to time and then everything settles again for months. We haven't looked at spaying her, at this time, as Ruth has a lot of other issues, so we could potentially tip her over the edge, by putting her through surgery, even though it would be Simon doing the op.
Thanks for replying Debbie :) Sorry to hear little Ruth has other issues too bless her ❤️
Aliona has always been healthy here, wasn’t told of any issues when I took her on last January but have a feeling some info was kept from me too!

I was going to speak to you today as a little worried with my seizures (going through a bad patch atm) if she does have to have a spay with me travelling on public transport back and forth with her and Luigi that it’s going to be a bit unsafe :( So was going to ask if you could possibly board her and her boyfriend for a day or two if she does need an op? Don’t care about me but hate the thought of a fit on the train with my babies if I’m going to have to come and go so much! Just wanted to get a little plan in place if seizures still playing up, although it breaks my heart to leave them! (And Luigi would break your brain with his bar biting so feel bad for you even asking too!:))) xx
 
Thanks for replying Debbie :) Sorry to hear little Ruth has other issues too bless her ❤
Aliona has always been healthy here, wasn’t told of any issues when I took her on last January but have a feeling some info was kept from me too!

I was going to speak to you today as a little worried with my seizures (going through a bad patch atm) if she does have to have a spay with me travelling on public transport back and forth with her and Luigi that it’s going to be a bit unsafe :( So was going to ask if you could possibly board her and her boyfriend for a day or two if she does need an op? Don’t care about me but hate the thought of a fit on the train with my babies if I’m going to have to come and go so much! Just wanted to get a little plan in place if seizures still playing up, although it breaks my heart to leave them! (And Luigi would break your brain with his bar biting so feel bad for you even asking too!:))) xx
Of course I can! Don't worry about Luigi and his bar biting! Zoltan is awful at doing same. I've never come across a piggy as bad, so him and Luigi could have bar biting competition and completely tip me over the edge! 😂
 
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Of course I can! Don't worry about Luigi and his bar biting! Zoltan is awful at doing same. I've never some across a piggy as bad, so him and Luigi could have bar biting competition and completely tip me over the edge! 😂
Thanks so much! Obviously no idea if she needs one yet but thought best to be prepared! I can’t go and sit somewhere like I normally would waiting around for ops etc with the Covid madness atm, so would be back and forwards like with Jasper’s neuter in November, that was stressful enough without seizures! :doh:
Haha naughty Zoltan! XD Ooh Luigi would blooming love that I’m sure! 🥳 I’ll make sure I send some painkillers for you too then! :)) xx
 
Sending much love to you and the lovely Aliona. You’ve got a great plan together already so hopefully that helps you not feel so stressed. X
 
Fingers crossed for pretty Aliona. Hopefully it won’t need any intervention for now.
 
Sending you and the beautiful Aliona hugs. I hope she doesn't need a spay but if she does she has a lovely slave who I know will look after her.
 
There are alternatives to a spay, depending on the nature of any ovarian cyst. You and your vet can also come to the decision to rather wait and see for the time being.

You can find more information on ovarian cysts and possible treatments in this guide here: Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)

All the best! Please try not to panic. A crusty nipple is not a life-threatening emergency. ;)
 
So sorry to hear about Aliona. Hopefully whatever needed to be done with her will just be an easy peasy process and no complications.

My Sierra has big nipples too, and sometimes can have a bit of dirt around it. But I don't think Sierra has ovarian cysts coz the dirt goes off whenever I wipe it with wipes. And no actual big changes with hers anyway. But with my worrying about the piggies sometimes (I don't even have anxiety problems and I always get anxious about them getting ill!), I think something bad is happening. Hubby often tells me not to look out for illness, especially when they are doing okay. Sierra even gained weight coz Rocky wasn't eating and she has no competition with food. 😂
 
Poor Alina.
I hope it’s not ovarian cysts but if it is and a spay is needed then with a good vet plus your care hopefully she will be fine.
Phoebe did well following her spay and so did Jemimah whose spay was an emergency.
She went in for an op to remove her persistent abscess and in the few days since her pre-op check she had developed large cysts. One burst just after it was removed!
She was fine afterwards, sporting 2 impressive scars.
Holding you in my thoughts
 
There are alternatives to a spay, depending on the nature of any ovarian cyst. You and your vet can also come to the conclusion to wait and see for the time being.

You can find more information on ovarian cysts and possible treatments in this guide here: Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)

All the best! Please try not to panic. A crusty nipple is not a life-threatening emergency. ;)
Thanks @Wiebke, have read the great guide many times! :) I think I’m always happier with an impacted boar bum or even (the dreaded!) eyes these days as I’ve dealt with them, these hidden girly problems do make me even more of a worrier! :doh::))
Not sure if it’s Simon or Kim I’ll be seeing, well Aliona and me on the phone in the rain outside(!), but know they’re the best! Hopefully something easily treatable.
Have never spayed one of my rodent girlies, always plums! Even my cat(s) were spayed over 14yrs ago so it’s been a while!XD

Her nipples are looking more dry and crusty today, the pics are from Thursday when I discovered them and tormented her with my phone! Everything crossed for her, know Luigi’s not the most caring of cagemates (tried to eat Jess’s stitches when she had her eye removed :doh: and wasn’t the nicest to live with throwing his weight around! 🙄) but hopefully he’s grown up a bit since then!
Definitely not an emergency or if have been calling yest morning to try and get her in!
 
Thanks so much @piggieminder @anyar.dris and @Merab's Slave :)

It’s definitely not dirt @anyar.dris, it’s all firmly attached and would bleed if I pulled/tried to clean it. Pics a bit rubbish really but she wasn’t happy with me! :doh:Jess had a big nipple (just the one!) but Lolo’s are huge! Big hugs to you and Rocky anyway :D:hug:x

And thanks so much @Merab's Slave, know your girls are good at worrying you with spaying ops! So glad they both went so well. Remember beautiful Jemimah’s (❤️❤️) well, I think that’s slightly why I’m worrying too, the fear of one bursting if it’s there! I’m being careful handling her (to weigh in the morning) but she’s probably the worst of the four to handle even though she’s been here a year compared to the newbies!
But thanks so much, means a lot and helps my stressy mind that’s got too much going on atm!:doh: x
 
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